Stand for electric irons



3, 1935 o. sPAHR v STAND FOR ET IIGIRICk IRONS Filed Sept. 15, 1952 fwn/Ess. f

-Petemed Dee. 3, 1935 IinriaNT,ori?

Ica

STAND Fon ELEo'riuc mons otto sphi, rhiiedeipmra. l Applieeiien september-15, 1932, serial Ne. 633.266 y `2 claim:v (ci. 21a-L25) g i Iliis invention relates to a stand for an electric iron and particularly to a stand in which contact is automaticallyamade to produce a iiowfof elec'tric current through the `iron when 'supported by the stand, the contact being interrupted when the iron is in use' with the y./resultant avoidance of a permanently connected cord. J.

It has already been proposed to provide a stand for an electric iron in which the iron occupies a sloping vposition whereby the usual contact elements or prongs thereon .wili engage cooperating contacts carried lby the stand, the" contacts on the stand being permanently,y connected through the medium of aplug and cord to a supplv.- 'e

It is a broad object of the present invention to improve the stands heretoforedesignedhavin'g particularly in view the facilitation of manipulation of the iron in both locating it upon the stand and'remeving its therefrom.

one ebieet of lthe invention Vrennes to the prgkvision of a stand in which the support vmay have a quite moderate slope while nevertheless proper .electrical contact is maintained to serve for the conductionfof the heating current. By reason of this the iron is not only readily removed from the stand but is also readily placed thereomthe stand specically comprising antifriction rollers for supporting the iron which not only facilitatel moving the same but also prevent scratching of its roller surface. Y

,Another object of the invention relates to the provision of an improved type of iixed contact.

. which the stand rests.

A further object of the invention relates to the provision of an adaptor, which used in'connec;

ltion with an iron in which the contact pins are arranged longitudinally ofthe iron, will provide radially disposed contactsv capable oi.' .cooperating with the fixed contacts carried by'l the stand.

Still another lobject of the invention is' the provision of an arrangement whereby'the iron may be held transversely of the stand while being yanual conditions from engag- .ictrical contact supporting4 means se than this wiu lnet be destroyed by the impact of the iron. l. Other objects of the inven tion relating particularly to details ofvconstruction will be apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which: f

' Fig. 1 is a perspectiveview onthe stand;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the same indicating the relationship of an iron thereto; V"

Fig. 3 'is a plan view porting elements;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of an adaptor 'for an iron having the prongs disposed, longitudinally thereof; and, y

Fig. 5 is a. bottom plan viewf the adaptor of Fig. 4. f

There is indicated at 2 an electric iron of `conventional type in which, as is most usual, .the prongs 8` are disposed transversely. lllhe normal distance between theseprongs of standard irons issubstantially the same so that by the provision of a single stand numerous makes of .ironsmay be accommodated. A heat'insulating handle l is supported by the usual bails 6.

of the fixed contact sup- 'I'he stand comprises a suitable'base formed of cast-metal providing a sloping iron supporting surface i0. Journalled in the base so as, to project above the surface I2 through openings therein are transverse rollers I2 on which the -iron 2` may' restand slide. The rollers are mounted to rotate on pins 'and desirably thel rollers and pins are made of diiierent metals in vorder to promote easy running and avoid bindi ing when the rollers and pins are treated by the iron. -Ii' desired the rollers may be hushed 'for the reception of 'the pins. Downwardly extend-f ing ilanges `i4 serve to support the iron supporting elements above a board or table.- These flanges are cut out as indicated at -i6 along the sides'and rear of the support so that a.l circulation of air is provided which will maintain the stand cool and prevent injury 4t0 a support. l

At the sides of the stand. are upwardly extending anges I8 provided with shoulders 2li. If the iron is-supported transversely of the stand as Jindicated in Fig. 1 upon the anges Il, its movement towards the rear of the stand will be limited by the stops provided atf2ll. This is desirable inasmuch as an accidental swing of the iron inwardly upon the stand mightcause-it to engage the contact elements with their possible destruction by repeated impact. When in its normal ,longitudinal nositimi` on-the stand the downward movement of ythe iron is limited by stop bers 22. l

Supported by a suitable upward'projection of the base is the assembly of the contact elements. This assembly comprises a metallic housing indicated at 24 provided with an opening as indicated at 26 for the reciprocation and guidance of the'rearmost bail 6 of the ironhandles. Lo-

cated .interiorly of the housing 24 is an insulator mem- member 28 to which are secured contact elements 30 having their ends curved inwardly as indicated at 32. These contact elements are xformed by a plurality of superposed metallic leaves whereby a substantial iiexibility at 32 is provided so that a spring engagement with the prongs or contact pins 8 results. vThe contact elements 32 are respectively connected to lead wires extending through vsuitable insulation of a conventional The necessaryilexibility is attained by reason of the association of the separate leaves. 'As' the prongs on the iron engage these leaves a wiping contact occurs which is self-cleaning.

f The arrangement so far described is dc'es'ign'edv for use with irons in which the prongs 8 are disposed laterally of each-other. In some cases, irons are provided with prongs disposed longitudinally of the iron. In order to enable these irons'to be used with the stand already disclosed, contacts thereon are provided bythe use of an adaptor 34 in the form of a block of insulating material provided with holes 38. ,Extending within' theser holes are contact springs 38 which are respectively electricallyconnected to exterior buttons lli. If the adaptor is located on an iron of the type just discussed the prongs o f which will enter the holes 38, the two buttons lil willbe disposed laterally impositions corresponding to those occupied by the prongs of a wire4 having the prongs lateraoaaaee ally disposed. Accordingly with this adaptor an iron of the second type may/be used withthe stand since the buttons lil will engage the contact elements at 32 in the same manner as prongs.

By reason of the use of the rollers I2 which provides an antifriction bearing for the iron, the inclinationdefined by the rollers need only be slightly greater than the angle of repose 0f )the iron'on the rollers while nevertheless a'ppropex" v,electrical .contact is insured. The angle of the slope which is necessary is quite small as indicated in the drawing so that the iron may be removed from the stand and placed thereon without any substantial vertical movement. This ren-'( ders the handling ofthe iron much easier than in the case of those stands in whichd the angle of slope is of the order of It will be obvious that various changes in the 4embodiment of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof as deilned 20 in the accompanying claims.

KWhat I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. Ay stand for an electric iron carrying contact members comprising ,a base, spring contact 25 elements supported by the base and arranged to be engaged by said contact members, and a plurality of rollers carried by the base at different levels andy adapted to support an iron for movements in an inclined' path to bring its contactv30 members into engagement with said contact elements, saidcontact elements comprising a plurality of superposed metallic leaves.A

2. A stand for au electric iron carrying contactl members comprising a base, spring contact elements supported bythe base and arranged to be' engaged by said contact members, and a plurality of rollers carried by Athe base at different levels Vand adapted tosupport an iron for movements in an inclined path to bring its contact members 4 into engagementswith said contact elements, said contact elements comprising a plurality of superposed metallic leaves and diverging in a direction up the inclinedpath whereby they oier a mini'- mum resistance to disengagement b ers therefrom.4 y O'I'I'O SPAHR. V

of the memu 

